10 Easy BONUS Photography Tips

Last week, I shared 10 easy ways to instantly upgrade your photos using any type of camera. When I created the original post, I realized that there are a lot more than TEN easy ways to instantly upgrade your images. TEN is simply not enough! So I added more...check out these 10 *BONUS* tips to instantly upgrade your photography.

Turn on your grid on your phone camera or on your DSLR or mirrorless camera

The grid will not only help you composition-wise in keeping with the Rule of Thirds, but it will also help you keep horizons and walls straight! It's SUPER important!

On an iPhone, go to Settings> Camera > grid ... toggle to "on"

Easily create Depth of Field

Adding depth of field conjures emotions, draws attention and isolates your subject in the frame. Depth of field (or DoF) refers to how much is in or out of focus in your photo. For more information and to access my Skillshare class on Depth of Field for free, click here!

To easily create Dof in your photos, push in CLOSE to your subject! You can choose focus points by tapping and holding your finger onto the screen.

If you have an iPhone 8 Plus or 10, turn on portrait mode.

Color

Look for simple colors: repeating; complementary; repetitive, etc.

SIMPLICITY

Keep your image as simple as possible! If ever in doubt, remove things from the frame by moving your subject, you moving around the scene, or by pushing into your subject. You can leave lots of negative space! You will most likely never make an image TOO simple!

Look for interesting patterns and textures

Do you se any repetitive lines or shapes? Unusual textures? If so, SHOOT IT!

Rule of odds

As humans, we like to see things in odd numbers...when composing an image, ask yourself if you can reframe to include an odd number of subjects.

Magic hour

iterally the BEST time to shoot! It’s usually an hour or so before sunset. It’s the best, most magical lighting for anything ever.

Laughter!

If you’re shooting humans, one of the best emotions to capture is happiness--and laughter is an obvious cue point! One crazy pro tip is if your subject is having a hard time smiling or laughing naturally, ask them to “fake” laugh...guaranteed, they will actually laugh and smile for real after they fake laug

BONUS! Bonus!!

Just shooot shooot shoooooot! Try all the things and see what you like! What you don’t like! TRY EVERYTHING!